The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity basketball team resumed district play at home on Tuesday, as they took down the Muleshoe Lady Mules, 50-27.
With the win, the Lady Cats improve to 3-0 in district play.
Amiah Elizondo knocked down a jumper from the left wing off of an assist from Madison McNeese to open the contest for Littlefield, but on the other end, Aaliyah Sanchez was fouled on an attempt by Kyndal Edgemon, earning a trip to the line. She made one-of-two shots at the line to cut the lead to, 2-1, with 5:23 to play in the opening quarter.
McNeese dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Maerysa Saenz and Arianna Cruz followed it up with a lay-up off of the assist from McNeese in transition to push their lead to, 6-1, with 4:35 remaining in the first quarter. McNeese knocked down a jumper from the left elbow off of an assist from Kennadi Hanlin, but on the other end, Aubrey Granados was fouled on an attempt by Hanlin. She made one-of-two shots at the free-throw line, making the score, 10-2.
With under a minute to go in the quarter, Saenz was fouled on a put- back attempt by Megan Moran; she sank both free throws to stretch the lead to double-digits, 12-2, going into quarter number two.
Kendra Kelley and Moran buried back-to-back threes from the right wing to open the second quarter, slicing the lead to, 12-8, but Elizondo answered with a layup off of an assist from Cruz to push their lead to, 14-8, with 7:02 to play in the first half. Araceli Diaz was fouled on an attempt by Saenz and sank one-of-two shots at the line to trim the lead to, 14-9.
Saenz would knock down a pair of free throws on the other end for Littlefield and Jazmine Barrios followed it up with a three from the left wing, off of an assist from McNeese to stretch their lead back out to, 19-9, with just under five minutes to play in the half. McNeese was fouled on the floor by Kelley earning a one-in-one opportunity at the line, as Muleshoe took a time out with 3:59 remaining in the second quarter. Out of the break, McNeese knocked down both free throws to extend their lead to, 21-9.
Sanchez dropped in a lay-up for the Lady Mules, but Barrios answered on the other end with a lay-up on the right side to make the score, 23-11. McNeese was fouled on a shot attempt by Kelley and split the free throws to make the score, 24-11, with 3:02 remaining in the first half.
Barrios knocked down a pair of free throws after being fouled on an attempt by Granados, but Payton Otwell went coast-to-coast for a Muleshoe lay-up to cut the lead to, 26-13. Sanchez followed it up with another bucket for the Lady Mules, but in the closing seconds of the half, Cruz dropped in a put-back off of a missed threepoint attempt by Barrios to push their lead to, 28-15, going into the locker room at halftime.
Elizondo opened the second half with a lay-up for the Lady Cats, but Kelley banked in a three from the right elbow to trim the lead to, 30-18. McNeese answered with a pull-up jumper from the right wing, but Muleshoe again had the answer, as Idaly Tarango picked up a steal and took it to the rack for a fast-break lay-up, cutting the lead to, 32-20, with 5:38 remaining in the third quarter.
With 4:03 to play in the quarter, Sanchez was fouled on an attempt by Cruz and sank both shots at the line to make it a 10-point Littlefield lead, 32- 22. On Muleshoe’s next possession, Jaydaci Olivares was fouled on an attempt by McNeese; she split the free throws to cut the lead to single-digits, 32-23, as Muleshoe took a time out with 3:04 remaining.
Out of the break, Barrios took a charge on Araceli Diaz, who picked up her fourth foul of the game and the Lady Cats capitalized on the extra possession, as Hanlin lobbed a pass over the defense to Edgemon in the paint, who dropped in a lay-up to make the score, 34-23, with 2:11 remaining in the quarter.
McNeese got the ball inside to Edgemon for another lay-up, but Muleshoe answered with a steal by Otwell, who took it to the hoop for a fast-break lay-up. McNeese answered with a quick lay-up, as the Lady Cats took a, 38-25, lead into the final quarter of play.
In the fourth quarter, Cruz took a charge on Sanchez and Edgemon followed it up with a layup and McNeese kept it going on the defensive end, as she picked up a steal and took it the other way for a lay-up, pushing their lead out to, 42-25. With 5:45 remaining, Edgemon was fouled on the floor by Kelley, who picked up her fourth foul. She made oneof- two shots on the one-in-one opportunity to stretch their lead to 43-25.
With 4:30 remaining, Moran scored a lay-up off of a steal in their own end of the floor, as Muleshoe took a time out with 4:28 to play. Out of the break, Muleshoe was called for a fivesecond call as they couldn’t get the ball inbounds. The Lady Cats capitalized on the turnover, as Kamryn Meiwes knocked down a jumper in the lane to make the score, 45-27.
Cruz was fouled on the floor by Tarango with under three minutes to play. She knocked down both shots on the one-in-one opportunity and on the next play, Saenz was fouled on the floor by Sanchez. She made one-of-two shots from the line to push their lead to 48-27. With time winding down, Meiwes was fouled on the floor by Kylie Hernandez and converted both free throws, as Littlefield took the contest, 50-27. McNeese led the Lady Cats in scoring with 13 points, while Edgemon tallied nine points and Barrios netted seven points. Cruz and Elizondo each tallied six points, while Saenz added five points and Meiwes finished with four points in the contest.
The Lady Cats were at Denver City on Friday. They will continue district play on Tuesday with a home game against Brownfield.
Tip-off is scheduled for 6:15 p.m.